Page 68 of Elemental Fae Academy: Book Three

“You stopped breathing, Claire,” Cyrus snapped. “For ten fucking minutes.”

My eyes widened even further. “What?”

Exos sat back on his heels, shaking his head.

Cyrus rubbed his face with his hand.

Pissed-off energy mingled with relief between them, their grips on my arms almost bruising.

“It was all white,” I whispered, trying to recall what happened. “And then my mother appeared.” I told them what she said, how she made no sense at all, and they just stared at me in obvious alarm. “Say something.”

They both shared a long look.

But it was Exos who finally broke the tense silence. “You went into the elemental core, Claire.”

“Right into the damn center of it,” Cyrus added, his tone somehow furious and surprised at the same time.

“And somehow survived.” Exos grabbed my shoulders and yanked me into him. “Don’t ever do that to me again, Claire.” His mouth captured mine before I could reply.

So I whispered, I don’t even know how I did it.

Never again, he repeated.

Which I would promise if I knew how it happened in the first place.

But he wasn’t hearing any of it, his lips too busy memorizing mine as if he thought he’d never kiss me again.

Cyrus clasped the back of my neck, tugging me away from Exos and kissing me with the same vigor, his emotions a tidal wave of need against my senses. Each lick engraved his name upon my soul. Each nip a reminder of our bonds. Each caress a promise for a long future ahead.

By the time he released me, I couldn’t form a coherent sentence, let alone think.

Which seemed fine by them.

Because Exos was already tasting me again, his tongue mating violently with mine as Cyrus ripped off my dress.

What is happening? I wondered, my mind spinning beneath the onslaught of their seductive energy.

We almost lost you. Exos sounded frantic. We thought we lost you, Claire.

I’m right here, I promised.

Prove it, little queen. Cyrus bit my shoulder, causing me to groan and arch back into him. We need you to prove it.

Cyrus

She died.

Claire. Fucking. Died.

Her heart stopped.

Her lungs ceased to breathe.

Her svelte form refused to move.

And her soul…

I shuddered and buried my nose in her hair, her neck, needing to feel her, to believe she was actually still here. “I’ve never been so terrified in my life,” I admitted, my mouth trailing along her neck. “Fuck, Claire. Don’t ever do that to me again.”

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